Automatic valve.



E.B.GRAHAM.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 22, 1911.

1,027,839. Patented May 28, 1912.

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' ELMER E. GRAHAM, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

Patented May 28,1912.

Original application filed December 14, 1909, Serial No. 533,059. Divided and this application filed May 22, 1911. Serial No. 628,714.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, ELMER E. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Automatic Valves; am I do hereby la e the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to valves, and particularly to automatic valves for use in conjunction with what is known as inst-antaneous water-heaters, whereby the act of drawing water from a pipe connected with a heater causes the valve which controls the flow of fuel gas to the heater to open; and the object of my invention is to so construct the valve mechanism that when the flow of fuel gas therethrough is stopped by the closing of the valve, the gas is completely excluded from the interior of the valve shell; and also to eliminate all packing, stuffing-box, and piston devices therefrom.

The valve mechanism forming the subject of this application is divided from my application Serial No. 533,059, filed December 14, 1909, and allowed March 29, 1911, and may form a part of the apparatus or plant covered thereby.

The features of my invention are hereinafter fully set forth and described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my improved valve, parts thereof being shown in elevation. Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic view showing my improved automatic valve in position with relation to a water heater.

In these drawings, A, indicates a cylindrical valve-shell, the intermediate and lower portions of which are provided with internal screw-threads, a, and a, and the upper end thereof is provided with external screw-threads, a The valve-shell, A, is also provided with a nipple, a which is shown with internal screw-threads, a but which, if desired, may be provided with external screw-threads and fitted with a union coupling if desired.

Within the intermediate portion of the valve-shell, A, engaging the internal screwthreads, (I, I place a metallic bushing, B, and" through a central opening in this bushing, B,i:ssl1dably mounted a valve-stem, G. Theupper end of the valve-stem, C, is provided with a disk-head, c, and between the a upper end of the bushing, B, and the diskhead, a, on the valve-stem, C, is placed a spiral spring, D.

To the lower end of the valve-stem, C, below the bushing, B, is secured a valve, E, by means of a screw, 6, in the usual manner.

The lower end of the valve-shell, A, is closed by means of a screw-plug, F, which engages the internal threads, a therein. This plug, F, is provided with a central opening, 7, the lower portion of which is in ternally screw-threaded by means of which threads a fuel supply pipe, G, is secured in the opening, f, in the plug, F.

The upper end of the opening, f, terminates in a valve-seat opening, f, upon which the valve, E, on the lower end of the valvestem, C, is adapted to seat in order to stop the flow of fuel gas therethrough.

Upon the upper end of the valve-shell, A, I place a diaphragm, H, preferably of thin metal, and above the diaphragm, H, I place a cap, J, which is provided with an annular shoulder, j, adapted to be compressed against the edge of the diaphragm, H, and securely clamp the same upon the upper end of the valve-shell, A, when the cap, J, is screwed down upon the screw-threads, a. The cap, J, has an opening therethrough, into which a waste pipe, K, may be screwed.

In operation the pipe, K, is connected with the hot-water supply pipe leading from the water-heater. The tension of the spring, D, is adjusted to suit the normal pressure in the pipe, K, by turning the bushing, B, up or down as may be necessary. The screw-plug, F, is then put in place in the lower end of the valve-shell, A, and a pipe, G, screwed into the opening, f, leading from a suitable source of fuel supply, and a pipe connection from the nipple, a to the fuel burner in a water-heater is made in the usual manner.

Of course it is understood that a pilot gas-jet is provided in close proximity to the fuel gas burner in the heater, and gas is supplied thereto from the pipe, G, or from an independent source of supply not eifected by the action of the valve, E, which pilot light burns constantly for the purpose of igniting fuel gas issuing from the burner.

When a tap connected with the hot-water supply system is opened and Water is permitted to flow therefrom, the pressure of the water therein is reduced, which will permit the spring, D, to raise the valve, E; the raising of the valve, E, permitting fuel gas to flow through the valve-seat opening, f, and out through the nipple, a and its connections to the fuel burner in the waterheater.

When the valve, E, is open or raised there is nothing to prevent gas which has passed through the valve-seat opening, f, from passing through the opening in the bushing, B, occupied by the valve-stem, C, except the absence of any outlet from the chamber between said bushing, 13, and the diaphragm, H, so that a stuffing-box, or packing mechanism around the valve-stem, G, is not necessary, and is not provided. When the flow of water from the hot-water system is stopped, the water-pressure in the pipe, K, immediately raises and presses down upon the diaphragm, H, which causes the valve, E, to close down upon its valveseat and eifectually cut off the flow of gas through the valve-seat opening, f, and from the valve'shell, A, so that all danger of the escape of gas therefrom is avoided.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of my invention so as to enable others to construct and utilize the same what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

.1. In a device of the character described,

a valve shell, having a longitudinal valve stem-opening through the center thereof, a valve stem in said opening, a diaphragm closing the upper end of said valve shell, a cap on the upper end of said shell above and securing said diaphragm in place thereon, a valve on the lower end of said valve stem, spring mechanism within said shell adapted to press upward against said diaphragm, a removable plug in the lower end of said valve shell having a longitudinal opening therethrough, and a valve seat on the upper end of said plug surrounding said opening therethrough, upon which said valve may seat, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, a valve-shell, a diaphragm on the upper end thereof, a screw-cap adapted to secure said diaphragm in place, a removable plug in the lower end of said valve-shell having an opening therethrough and an annular valveseat on the upper end thereof surrounding said opening, an adjustable valve-stem guide in the intermediate portion of said valveshell, a valve adapted to seat upon said valve-seat, a "alve-stem secured thereto and extending upward through said guide, a head on the upper end of said valve-stem contacting against the underside of said dia phragm, and a spring between said valvestem guide and said disk-head, substantially as set forth. y

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. GRAHAM.

\Vit-nesses:

I. V. GIrroRD, H. M. STURGEON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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